


Into the Dawn

by Swordy



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Blind Ignis Scientia, Blind!Ignis, Canon Disabled Character, Chill XV, Chocobros - Freeform, End of game spoilers, Gen, Post-game scene, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-12
Updated: 2017-08-12
Packaged: 2018-12-14 11:02:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11781810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Swordy/pseuds/Swordy
Summary: Then Noct stops and turns back to face them, studying each of them in turn. His expression is solemn, but his eyes hold the fondness he has for these people - these boys who became men who have shared his life, and walked by his side, through its many ups and downs.“Prompto. Gladio. Ignis. I leave it to you. Walk tall, my friends.”Written for the Chill XV monthly challenge with the theme of 'Brother'.





	Into the Dawn

They stand on the steps to the citadel facing a man who is so many things to each of them. Friend. Ward. Comrade-in-arms. Inspiration. There may be some minor variations, but to all of them, he is their king - the man they have followed to Hell and back, only for them to realise they must return there one final time.

In a sense, this time they will never fully return; following Noct’s campsite confession, they are under no illusion about what must happen next, what they must _lose_ , in order to bring light back to the world. They hate it, but Noct has made it clear that this is the only way. There is no Plan B. Nor should they look for one. This is his destiny, as King of Lucis. To be fair, he's had ten years to get used to the idea whereas they have had a mere day, at best.

And so, here they stand.

As the rain drums down upon them, they look for a flicker of fear or hesitation, but there is none. Even Ignis, his sight gone for ten years now, can tell that _this_ Noctis is going to his destiny as the man his father hoped he would become. Regis would be proud.

It is here that they must part company.

“No turning back now,” Prompto says, his voice wavering. He can't let Noct go, even though he knows he must. The other two are no closer to accepting it, but a sense of duty has dictated so much of their lives that they will adhere to protocol and send him on his final journey as their king, rather than the boy who loved fishing and hated beans.

Then Noct stops and turns back to face them, studying each of them in turn. His expression is solemn, but his eyes hold the fondness he has for these people - these boys who became men who have shared his life, and walked by his side, through its many ups and downs.

“Prompto. Gladio. Ignis. I leave it to you. Walk tall, my friends.”

Before any of them can respond, Noct frowns, then shakes his head. “No, not friends - my _brothers_.”

He gives them a smile.

“We may not be bound by blood, but we share a bond that makes us brothers. When the dawn comes, all I ask is that the three of you keep that bond alive; do that and I'll live on through you.”

Prompto and Gladio nod; Ignis says, “you have my word, Noct.”

And then he's gone.

There's no time to mourn him. Insomnia is still riddled with daemons and if they're going to live to see the dawn, then their emotions must be put to one side. They fight with everything they have, united in their desire to see Noctis’s final wishes for them fulfilled. If he is to live on, so must they.

OoOoO

They're on a hillside outside of the city when the first rays of sunlight appear on the horizon. They've tended to each other's wounds, grief creating a silence that feels heavy between them. What is there to say? Noctis is gone, never to return, his life sacrificed to bring back the light that is changing the skyline for the first time in too long. It's a victory, but it doesn't feel like one.

Eventually, Ignis removes his visor. He blinks a couple of times. The movements draw the others’ attention.

“Can you see anything, Iggy?” Gladio asks. He glances at Prompto, who is equally interested in the answer.

“There is… something,” Ignis answers softly after a moment. “The darkness isn't so absolute.”

“He really did it,” Gladio says, shaking his head. “He saved the goddamned world.”

“The world will be a very different place now,” Ignis cautions.

“So we make it into something good,” Gladio replies resolutely, “In Noct’s name.”

It takes both of them a moment to realise that Prompto is uncharacteristically quiet. He hasn't joined in with this discussion, and his reaction to the dawn has been muted at best.

“You okay, Prompto?” Gladio enquires.

Prompto sighs, sniffs and turns to them both. Ignis can't see the anxiety in his expression, but he knows it's there all the same.

“What Noct said back there…” Prompto begins, eyes dropping to study his clasped hands. “… I know what he asked, but I don't want you to feel like you have to.”

“Have to what?” Gladio asks.

“To, you know, keep the bond alive. Be _brothers_. With me, I mean.”

Gladio turns to Ignis because he's the expert in the art of diplomacy. If he had his way, he'd just give Prompto a crack around the head for being an idiot. Ignis seems to sense he's up, and sighs.

“Prompto. You remember back in Cartanica, just after I lost my sight?”

“Uh, yeah.”

“You supported me over the terrain, picked me up when I fell. You _stood up_ for me when Gladio thought I should stay behind. Did you do that because I was Noct’s advisor?”

“No! I did it for you, Iggy.”

“Why?”

“Because… because we’re friends.”

“Brothers, even?” Ignis ventures. “And when you fell from the train, there was _no question_ about us looking for you. I know you think that that decision would have been driven by Noct, but I can assure you that both Gladio and I were in complete agreement that it was the _only_ course of action.

“What I'm trying to say, Prompto, is that what we have between us shouldn't just end because Noct is no longer here, but, equally, it shouldn't just continue because he wanted it. It's true, our kinship may have originated with Noct, but I'm proud to call you and Gladio my brothers. And Noct was right; we might not be bound by blood, but personally I think blood is overrated - if anything, I think what we have is something stronger.” Ignis smiles. “So those are my feelings on the matter. Gladio, would you care to add anything?”

“Huh?” Gladio says, like he was so engrossed in what Ignis was saying, he'd forgotten he might be expected to speak. “I was just gonna whack him round the head in the hope that it knocked some sense into him.”

Ignis snorts and shakes his head. “An intelligent and well thought out plan of action, as always, Gladiolus.”

They all laugh. There's a moment of silence before Prompto responds. The emotion is still there, but, crucially, the worry has gone. The landscape before them is now flooded with the sun’s rays. Soon, there will be _warmth_ for the first time in over a decade.

“Thanks, guys,” he says. “I guess I just needed to be sure, you know? I love you both; it's an honour to have you as my bros.”

“Bros?” Ignis says, replacing his visor before he stands and brushes down his jacket. Gladio follows suit. The new world is waking; it's time to go out there and start creating Noct’s legacy.

“Ooh, ooh, wait!” Prompto adds, springing to his feet like he's not just spent the last god knows how many hours fighting for his life. “I've got a better one! _Chocobros_!”

Gladio snorts as they set off down the hill together. “You've gotta admit that's a good one, Iggy.”

“Indeed,” Ignis says dryly, which the other two men know could mean any one of a billion different things.

“Hey, you know I'm only playing, Iggy,” Prompto says. “I know you hate it.”

“On the contrary, I think it has a pleasing ring to it.”

“Really?”

“Absolutely. Noct would have loved it.”

They reach the bottom of the hill and stop. The plains are bathed in glorious sunlight, with not a daemon in sight. They're tired, but their grief at losing Noct is soothed by the hope for the future that he has won for them. It'll be a while before they get back to civilisation, to really start to feel the impact of Noct’s sacrifice, so for now it's just them.

Gladio slings his arm around the other two, pulling them both into a hug.

“Okay, Chocobros. Where to now?”

“Somewhere with soft beds,” Prompto suggests.

“Somewhere with coffee,” Ignis adds, before he wrinkles his nose as it’s pressed into Gladio’s shoulder. He gives an exaggerated sniff, a smile playing at his lips. “And a shower.”

“Hey, Iggy,” Gladio huffs, “I've got feelings, you know!”

“And a fairly impressive odour, so it seems.”

Prompto laughs. “He's kinda got you there, big guy.”

Gladio lets them both go and starts walking, a half-hearted scowl on his face. His boots kick up dust as he scuffs them through the dirt. The other two set off after him.

“Gladio!” Prompto calls out. “You know we’re only kidding-”

“Oh yeah,” he replies grouchily, waving a hand dismissively. “Some brothers _you two_ turned out to be. I'm gonna be an only child from now on.”

“Uh, Gladio?”

“ _What_ , Prompto?” Gladio growls, rounding on them both to find Ignis smothering a smile behind one gloved hand. Prompto is already laughing.

“You know you have a sister, right?”

“Smartass!”

“But I believe Prompto makes an excellent point, Gladio…”

OoOoO

From the afterlife, Noctis watches this exchange, a tender smile on his face. The darkness has been vanquished and the dawn has finally come.

He's at peace, and these men - his _brothers_ \- they'll be okay.

  
**End**

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> I always wished that Noct had called them his brothers when he bid them farewell so I fixed it for him. Comments and feedback are as awesome as chocolate, so please send some my way. :)


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